New bucket list challenge launched

Scotland’s six most iconic sites celebrated on World Heritage Day as part of the 2017 Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology.

The Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Giza and Machu Picchu are at the top of many traveller’s lists – but did you know that Scotland has six World Heritage Sites of its very own?

To help bring this “wanderlust” closer to home, Dig It! 2017 has launched a new Bucket List challenge starring these six marvels of ingenuity and imagination.

According to the United Nations, these places have special importance for everyone. They represent unique (or the most significant or best) examples of the world’s cultural heritage. Scotland’s sites cover over 5,000 years of history and range from a mysterious group of Neolithic monuments in Orkney to a picturesque cotton mill village in Lanark.

The challenge was issued as part of the Scotland in Six series of events running on World Heritage Day - Tuesday 18 April 2017. Coordinated by Dig It! 2017 and supported by EventScotland, the six events included a steampunk party at the Forth Bridge Hub in Inverkeithing. “3 Minutes in 1890: A Victorian Festival” featured live music, a “quack doctor” storyteller, steampunk magician and vintage photo booth.

Culture and Tourism Secretary Fiona Hyslop, said: “Scotland’s six iconic World Heritage Sites are magnificent. They are of international significance and attract thousands of visitors every year.

“This challenge, part of Dig It! 2017, will encourage tourists from home and abroad to discover some of Scotland’s finest attractions.

“History and heritage is a key driver for visits to Scotland, which is why in 2017 we are celebrating the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology.”

Dr Rebecca Jones, Head of the Archaeology and World Heritage Team at Historic Environment Scotland, said: “A lot of bucket list challenges are long and unwieldy and arguably pretty difficult to achieve, but the great thing about putting Scotland’s six World Heritage sites on your bucket list is that experiencing them all is perfectly possible – and indeed advisable!

Each of these iconic sites has something different to offer, from the stunning prehistoric monuments of ancient Orkney to the meticulously built 2,000 year old Roman frontier of the Antonine Wall; from the social impact of New Lanark, one of the largest industrial sites in the world, to the Forth Bridge, an internationally renowned feat of engineering. Ticking off the hustle and bustle of Edinburgh’s iconic Old and New Towns before braving the journey across the sea to the now-uninhabited island beauty of St Kilda is enough to take your breath away.

We hope Dig It! 2017’s Bucket List will encourage more people than ever before to travel to Scotland’s incredible World Heritage Sites in the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology.”

The Bucket List was created by Dig It! 2017 with support from Historic Environment Scotland and EventScotland. The free list is now available on the Dig It! 2017 website.

To explore the Bucket List and learn more about Scotland’s six sites, visit DigIt2017.com/WorldHeritageSites